With a nickname taken by a Knicks trainer from the folk-hero robber Clyde Barrow, whose life was chronicled in the film Bonnie and Clyde, Frazier presided over the Knicks for 10 years from 1967 to 1977. As a Knicks player, Frazier scored 19.3 points per game, played in seven NBA All-Star Games, and was named to four All-NBA First Teams and seven NBA All-Defensive First Teams. He is especially remembered for his inspirational performance in the seventh and deciding game of a thrilling 1970 NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. He learned basketball on a rutted, dirt playground, the only facility available at his all-black school in the racially segregated South of the 1950s. (Via NBA.com)

Known as ‘Clyde’ for his snappy dressing reminiscent of historical outlaws ‘Bonnie & Clyde’ and his innate ability to ‘steal’ the ball, Walt played with a mixture of bravado, athleticism, intensity and a calculated lack of emotion that encapsulated the very essence of being cool. Indeed, playing it cool as a cucumber became his trademark. And, as the street hustlers, hip-hoppers, wee pappa rappers, breakers, b-boys and graff kids picked up on the shoe, Clyde’s personal style seemed to effortlessly rub off on an entire city.

There are only a few sneakers that truly qualify as classics, and the Clyde is right there with the best of them. They’re shoes that transcended their original sporty job description, that can genuinely claim to represent an entire city, generate a lifetime of anecdotes, and are truly an authentic legend on the street. They’ve been called a few different names over the last thirty years (Suede, Clyde, State) but the shoe has continued to influence the scenesters in the USA, Europe and Asia with acid jazzers, old school nuts, terrace casuals and skaters alike hot steppin’ these PUMAs. (Via SneakerFreaker.com)